Broadside story entitled 'The Wonder of Wonders Being'

Transcription

The WONDER of WONDERS

B E I N G

A strange and wonderful Relation concerning the Mermaid that was seen and spoke with on the Cliff ofCromarry, near Inverness in Scotland, by a young Gentleman, a Merchant, named Lauchland Mac-kintosh, who was tossed on the main 'Ocean for four Days and Nights, Together with an account ofhis wonderful Dream, and the strange Conversation he had with the Mermaid, and how he was preser-Ved, but died in five Days after his Return to Inverness.

ON the Twenty-fifth of June last, one Mr.JAMES FORBES, Captain and Command-er of the Ship call'd the Dolphin, in her pas-sage for Amsterdam in Holland, was beat back bya. tempestuous Wind ; but all the Men got safe onShore, except a young Gentlemen, a Merchant,Call'd Lauchland Mackintosh, who was taken veryill, and f'ast asleep on board of the Ship, was leftto the Almighty's Providence, and to the Merciesof the Seas and Wind, until at length he awakedin a great dread, tossing on the main Ocean, andfrighted with dreadful dreams: For the said Lauch-land Mackintosh dream'd, that he was upon thetop of a high Mountain, whose top, he thoughtreached to the Heavens Firmament, or Skies ; andthat there was on the top of the Mountain an ex-ceeding fine Castle, about the Circumference of aMile, and furnished with all Sorts of fine Dia-monds and precious Stones, and a Well, whoseWater was as sweet as Honey, and white as Milk,that whosoever drank of that Well should never bedry again; and all sorts of fine musick very delightfulto hear, so that they would think, as he supposed,seven Years not so long as a Day in that Place.

After having viewed the Castle round, he obser-ved to his great Admiration a beautiful young La-dy, who was guarded by seven Serpents, very fright-ful to behold. Suppose the young Lady was verybeautifull. yet he wished rather to be a thousandMiles off than in the fight of those Serpents : Andlooking round about, he espy'd (to his great com-fort) a green Gate, and a Street pav'd with blueMarble, which open'd at his coming to it, and sohe got away from the Serpents : But coming tothe Top of the Hill did not know how to getdown, it being very high and steep, but he founda Ladder to his Comfort; it being very slender wasafraid to venture, but at last was obliged to makeUse of it, for one of the Serpents having takennotice of him, pursued him so very hard, that hewas in great danger, and thought he fell and brokehis right Leg, and that the Serpent fell upon him,which awakened him in a great fright, and almost-made him mad.

But by this you most think what great trouble he wasin, awaking alone On the main Ocean, when missingall the rest of the Ship's Crew, and likewise thegreat danger he was in : But to his great Amaze-ment espied a beautiful young Lady (as he thought)combing her head.and tossing on the Billows,cloathedall in Green, (but by Chance he got the first wordof her) with a Smile the comes on board, and inLatin asked how he did. The young man beingsomething smart, and a Scholar, replied, Madam, Iam (the better to see you in good Health) in greathopes trusting you will be a Comfort and Assistanceto me in my low Condition, and so caught hold ofher Comb and green Girdle that was about herWaist, To which she replied, Sir. you ought not

to rob a young Woman of her Riches, and thenexpect a Favour at her Hand ; but if you 1) give memy Comb and Girdle again, what lies in my PowerI will do for you. . At which Time he had noPower to keep them from her, but mediately de-liver'd them up again. She then smiling thankedhim, and told him, If he would meet her againstnext Friday, she would set him safe on shore. Hehad no Power to deny her, but readily gave hisConsents At which time she gave him a Compass,and desired him steer South West. He thankedher, and told her he wanted some News, he saidshe would tell him the next Occassion, when hefulfilled his Promise; but he should find his Fatherand Mother much grieved about him; and so jump-ing into the Sea, she departed out of his sight.

After her Departure the Tempest ceased, andblew a fair Gale to South West, and he got safe onthe Shore. But when he Came to his Fathers house,he found every thing as she had told him : For shetold him also concerning his being left on Ship-board, and how ail the Seamen got safe to Land,and he found it all true what she had told him, ac-cording to the Promise she made him. He was stillvery much troubled in his mind how to perform.his Promise; but mind, while he was thus muling,she appeared to him with a smiling Countenance,'and (by his Misfortune) she got .the first Word ofhim, so that he could not speak one Word, butwas quite dumb, yet he took Notice of whatWords she spoke; and thus she began to sing:

When the white Hart comes to Inverness,What will befal no Man can guess :'Tis true King George he rules the Land,And he hath Men at his Command.

King George he likewise ruleth high.And he hath many an Enemy;Yet he will over rule them all,And make their Pride to have a Fall.

And after these Debates shall cease,Old England then will be at peace ;The'll have no Reason to complain,Trading will flourish once again.

Upon which she departed out of the young man'sfight, taking from him the Compass. She took aRing from off her Finger, and put it upon theyoung Man's Finger, and said, she expected tosee him once again with more Freedom, but henever saw her more : Upon which he came to him-self again, went home, was taken very ill, anddied in five Days after, to the wonderful Admira-tion of all People who heard and saw the youngGentleman,